Fourthly, Be careful and diligent that thy whole Family may sanctify the Lords Day: When the Israelites were to sacrifice to God in the Wilderness, they went with there little ones, and all their households, Exod. 12. When Elkanah went up to sacrifice to the Lord, all his house went with him, 1 Sam. 1.21. Thy duty is, according to these examples, to see that all thy family (unless necessity should hinder) serve the Lord in public. Do not suffer any of thine to be playing idly in the Churchyard, when they should be praying earnestly, ⟨p. 543⟩in the Church; nor to be talking vainly of the World, when they should be hearkening reverently to the Word. O what pity is it, that they should be sucking poison, when they should be sucking milk out of the breasts of Consolation! The fourth Commandment doth fully speak thy duty, not only to be careful that they forbear thy work, but also that they mind Gods Worship. Thou knowest not, but that thy child or servant, by missing one season, may miss of salvation. Possibly they are wrought hard in the Week days, and have very little time for their souls, so that their only time of improving their spiritual stock, by trading towards Heaven, is on a Sabbath Day. Or it may be they are careless of their main work (of providing for the other World) all the Week, that if thou shouldst neglect them on the Lords Day, they will he left under a necessity of perishing: Surely they who have but one good meal in seven days, and are robbed of that, are unconceivably wronged. When David came to his Brethren to the Camp, Eliab said to him, How camest thou down hither? Where is the flock? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the Wilderness? (1 Sam. 17.28.) I know the pride, and the haughtiness of thy heart. Give not God cause to greet thee thus at Church, How camest thou hither? Where is thy flock, thy Family? With whom hast thou left those few sheep, thy Children, and thy Servants? I know thy pride, they are not good enough to come along with thee, or to be minded by thee: or, I know thy covetousness, thou hast employed them ⟨p. 544⟩about earthly businesses: or, I know thy carelessness and Soul-cruelty, thou carest not what becometh of them, whether they be saved or damned for ever. I tell thee Friend, some Gentlemen by going abroad alone without their servants, have lost their silver;
Fourthly, Be careful and diligent that thy whole Family may sanctifie the Lords Day: When the Israelites were to sacrifice to God in the Wilderness, they went with ther little ones, and all their housholds, Exod. 12. When Elkanah went up to sacrifice to the Lord, all his house went with him, 1 Sam. 1.21. Thy duty is, according to these examples, to see that all thy family (unless necessity should hinder) serve the Lord in publique. Do not suffer any of thine to be playing idly in the Churchyard, when they should be praying earnestly, ⟨p. 543⟩in the Church; nor to be talking vainly of the World, when they should be hearkning reverently to the Word. O what pity is it, that they should be sucking poyson, when they should be sucking milk out of the breasts of Consolation! The fourth Commandment doth fully speak thy duty, not onely to be careful that they forbear thy work, but also that they minde Gods Worship. Thou knowest not, but that thy childe or servant, by missing one season, may miss of salvation. Possibly they are wrought hard in the Week days, and have very little time for their souls, so that their onely time of improving their spiritual stock, by trading towards Heaven, is on a Sabbath Day. Or it may be they are careless of their main work (of providing for the other World) all the Week, that if thou shouldst neglect them on the Lords Day, they will he left under a necessity of perishing: Surely they who have but one good meal in seven days, and are robbed of that, are unconceiveably wronged. When David came to his Brethren to the Camp, Eliab said to him, How camest thou down hither? Where is the flock? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the Wilderness? (1 Sam. 17.28.) I know the pride, and the haughtiness of thy heart. Give not God cause to greet thee thus at Church, How camest thou hither? Where is thy flock, thy Family? With whom hast thou left those few sheep, thy Children, and thy Servants? I know thy pride, they are not good enough to come along with thee, or to be minded by thee: or, I know thy covetousness, thou hast imployed them ⟨p. 544⟩about earthly businesses: or, I know thy carelesness and Soul-cruelty, thou carest not what becometh of them, whether they be saved or damned for ever. I tell thee Friend, some Gentlemen by going abroad alone without their servants, have lost their silver;
